Such a strip is used to make connections, in particular between the pairs of conductors of a distribution cable and the pairs of conductors of subscriber lines. If necessary, it makes it possible to protect all or a portion of these connections against surge voltages from various possible origins, and in particular from lightning strikes or other phenomena.
Such connection strips are already known per se.
In particular, Document FR-A-2 526 592 describes a connection strip of this type. That strip comprises one or more identical "tag" blocks mounted on a support and a "protection" block associated with each tag block to be protected. The protection block is placed beside the corresponding tag block, extending along the length thereof.
In that known strip, the tag block has at least two rows of tags along its length. At least one of these rows is along its face facing the support, and at least one other row is along its opposite face. Means internal to the tag block interconnect corresponding tags in the rows.
In that known strip, the protection block includes a line of protectors such as lightning arresters. The lightning arresters are bipolar, each having one line tab or terminal and one ground tab or terminal.
The protection block has at least one row of tags which are connected to the line terminals of respective lightning arresters and are accessible for connection to tags in one of the rows of the tag block. The ground terminals of the lightning arresters are individually connected to a ground bar.
Connection means are provided between the protection block and the tag block. They comprise conductor wires connected to the tags of one of the rows in each of these blocks, or else U-shaped conductors connected to internal connection means in the tag block and to the line terminals in the protection block. The U-shaped conductors may themselves be mounted in a housing which is fitted on the support and which receives the tag block and the protection block.
The resulting strip is relatively complex, and above all it presents difficulties in use, without providing connections of sufficient reliability.
An object of the present invention is thus to enable incoming and outgoing conductors to be distinguished, advantageously with all of the connection points both for said conductors and for their protectors being disposed on a single "front" face to make the strip easier to work with, and also to enable more reliable connections to be obtained.
Another object of the invention is to make better protection possible, preferably by using three-pole protectors or lightning arresters.